Rob Bell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Holmes Bell Jr.
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Bell on "Everything is Spiritual" tour in 2016
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| Born | August 23, 1970 |
| Alma mater | Wheaton College (B.A. 1992) Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div. 1995) |
| Known for | Founding Mars Hill Bible Church |
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| Honours | Time 100 (2011) |
Robert Holmes Bell Jr. (born August 23, 1970) is an American author, speaker, and musician. He used to be a pastor. Bell started Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan. He led the church until 2012. Under his leadership, Mars Hill became one of the fastest-growing churches in America.
Bell also wrote the New York Times bestseller Love Wins. He is also the writer and narrator of a series of spiritual short films called NOOMA. In 2011, Time magazine named Bell one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. Today, he is a freelance writer and speaker. He appears on talk shows and goes on national speaking tours. He talks about topics like spirituality and leadership. He also hosts a popular podcast called The Robcast. In 2018, a documentary about Bell called The Heretic was released.
Contents
About Robert Bell Jr.
His Early Life and School
Robert Bell Jr. is the son of U.S. District Judge Robert Holmes Bell. His father was chosen for the federal court by President Ronald Reagan.
After high school, Bell went to Wheaton College in Illinois. While there, he started an alternative rock band. He also taught water skiing at a Christian camp. At the camp, he was asked to preach one day. Bell earned his bachelor's degree from Wheaton. He then got another degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
Starting Mars Hill Bible Church
Bell and his wife moved from California to Grand Rapids. They wanted to be closer to family. They were also invited to learn from pastor Ed Dobson. Bell often preached at Calvary Church's Saturday night service. He later announced he would start a new church community. He named it "Mars Hill." This name came from a place in Greece. The apostle Paul once spoke there about an "unknown God."
In February 1999, Bell founded Mars Hill Bible Church. The church first met in a school gym in Wyoming, Michigan. Within a year, the church was given a shopping mall in Grandville, Michigan. They also bought the land around it. In July 2000, their new building opened. It had 3,500 "grey chairs." By 2005, about 11,000 people attended the two Sunday services. By March 2011, about 8,000 to 10,000 people attended each Sunday. His teachings at Mars Hill inspired the popular "Love Wins" bumper sticker. The church gave these stickers away after services.
To keep his life balanced, Bell took Fridays off. He called it his personal sabbath. He did not use electronics on Fridays. Other pastors at Mars Hill handled his duties then.
In January 2007, TheChurchReport.com magazine named Bell No. 10. He was on their list of "The 50 Most Influential Christians in America." Readers and online visitors chose this list.
On September 22, 2011, Bell announced he was leaving Mars Hill Church. He planned to start a "spiritual talk show in Los Angeles." His 2011 book, Love Wins, caused some discussion among religious groups. This discussion led to thousands leaving Mars Hill. It also led to Bell's departure from the church.
In July 2012, Bell held his first big event since leaving Mars Hill. He spoke at the Viper Room night club in Los Angeles. Bell has also hosted workshops for leaders, teachers, artists, and others. These events are for anyone who creates something and shares it with the world.
Other Projects and Work
Before Leaving Mars Hill
Bell was the main speaker in NOOMA. This is a series of short films. The name "NOOMA" comes from the Greek word pneuma. This word means breath or spirit. All the videos feature Bell's teachings. They also have music by independent artists.
In August 2005, Zondervan Publishing released Bell's first book. It was called Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith. The book is for people who are interested in Jesus. It offers a new way to understand the Christian faith.
Bell's Everything is Spiritual speaking tour started on June 30, 2006, in Chicago. Money from ticket sales helped WaterAid. This group helps people get safe water and sanitation. This helps them escape poverty and disease.
In June 2007, Bell toured the United Kingdom and Ireland. He gave a series of talks called Calling All Peacemakers. Bell started another tour in 2007. It was called "The Gods Aren't Angry." This tour talked about faith.
Bell's 2009 project was Drops Like Stars. It explored how creativity and suffering are connected. Drops Like Stars was both an international tour and a book. Bell first wrote the book by hand. It also included photographs. Bell looked at how suffering can lead to creativity, understanding, and growth. He said that as a pastor, he saw many important moments in people's lives. He realized there was a link between suffering and making art.
After Leaving Mars Hill
In September 2013, Oprah interviewed Bell for her Super Soul Sunday TV show. Bell's book, What We Talk About When We Talk About God, was also Oprah's first recommended book that month.
Television Work
In 2011, ABC television announced a new drama. It was called Stronger. Bell co-wrote it with Carlton Cuse. Cuse was an executive producer for the TV series Lost. The show was loosely based on Bell's life. It was about a musician on a spiritual journey. However, Bell and Cuse could not get approval to film the show.
Bell and Cuse then worked on another project. It was described as a "faith-focused talk show" presented by Bell. They filmed two test shows in September 2012. These were filmed in a warehouse in Los Angeles. They wanted to create a video to show to TV network executives.
His Podcast
Bell hosts a podcast called The Robcast. He is the only host, but he often has guests. Bell believes that churches are changing. He thinks podcasts offer a way to learn and grow spiritually. In 2015, iTunes named The Robcast the best religion and spirituality podcast.
Robert Bell Jr.'s Beliefs
In his writings, Bell says, "I affirm the truth anywhere in any religious system, in any worldview. If it's true, it belongs to God." This means he believes truth can be found in many places.
Bell's 2011 book, Love Wins, caused a lot of discussion. This discussion was featured in Time magazine and The New York Times. In the book, Bell talks about different ideas about what happens after life. He says that some traditional ideas about hell can be harmful. He believes they can stop people from understanding Jesus' message of love, peace, and joy. Bell explores different ways to think about these topics. He says that it is good and Christian to hope for everyone to find peace.
The book was discussed by many religious leaders. Some, like Albert Mohler and John Piper, disagreed with some of the ideas. Others, like Brian McLaren and Eugene Peterson, supported Bell's views. Bell says he does not pick one specific view. He argues that Christians should be open to different ideas and not demand to know everything for sure. Some people believe this "uncertainty" does not fit with religious texts. Others say the book helps start important conversations. In the book, Bell also questions focusing only on getting to heaven. He argues that Jesus focused on making this world better.
In March 2013, Bell talked about his feelings about some religious groups. He said they had "turned away lots of people" from faith. He felt they talked about God in ways that did not help people become more loving. He also said that some religious groups had supported harmful ideas. He believes they did this in God's name and should change.
In 2018, a documentary about Bell called The Heretic was released.
Awards and Recognition
In June 2011, Time Magazine named Bell one of the "2011 Time 100". This is the magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world each year.
See also
- Religion and spirituality podcast
- Wellman Jr, J. K. (2012). Rob Bell and a New American Christianity. Abingdon Press.
- Willey, R. D. (2019). Shifting the sacred: Rob Bell and the postconservative evangelical turn. Critical Research on Religion, 7(1), 80-99.
